1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key-input correcting device for correcting a key-input using an input of an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information processing apparatus such as a personal computer (PC), a workstation (WS), a mobile computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) comprises a keyboard having a plurality of keys (or buttons). When an operation is performed by using the information processing apparatus, an operator inputs a command by using the keyboard. When this command is input, a single job or a plurality of jobs (or tasks) corresponding to the command are executed in the information processing apparatus, and a result which is intended by the operator can be obtained. Various functions held by the information processing apparatus are realized by executing a single job or a plurality of jobs corresponding to a single command input or a plurality of command inputs.
When a function of the information processing apparatus is to be executed, the following typical operations are known.    (1) A character or a character string corresponding to a command name for executing the function are input by using character input keys, and a return key (enter key) is pressed.    (2) A function key to which the function is allocated in advance (e.g., a function key, a delete key, an escape key, a space key, or the like) is pressed.    (3) A shortcut key to which the function is allocated in advance is pressed.
The “shortcut” means that, when a function of an information processing apparatus is used, the function can be realized by only one operation although a plurality of menu screens must be opened and several commands are input in a conventional method, or an operation of a pointing device such as a mouse is performed by using a keyboard. The “shortcut key” denotes a combination of keys pressed when the “shortcut” is performed (reference “2000-01 Saishin Pasokon Yougojiten” pp. 361 and 474, Gijyutsu-Hyoron Co., Ltd., Mar. 15, 2000).
When the shortcut is used, a function realized by a plurality of key-input operations of the keyboard can be realized by one key-input operation. A general shortcut key is constituted by a combination of a state change key such as a shift key (“Shift” key), an alternative key (“Alt” key), a control key (“Ctrl” key), or the like and another key. A key-input operation of the shortcut key is performed by pressing another key while pressing the state change key.
When an operator intends to execute a function by using a special key or a shortcut key (to be referred to as a “function start key” hereinafter), a key arranged near the function start key may be erroneously pressed.
In this case, it is decided by the decision in the information processing apparatus for the pressed key that no function is allocated to the pressed key (invalid key-input), any process is not performed (key-input is neglected).
On the other hand, when a function different from a function intended by the operator is allocated to the pressed key (when another function start key is erroneously pressed), the key-input itself is valid. For this reason, the function allocated to the key is executed, and a result which is not intended by the operator is obtained.
Therefore, when the operator erroneously press the function start key, the operator must newly depresses the correct function start key, or the operator must press the correct function key after the state is returned to the state in which the erroneously executed function is executed.
In this manner, in the conventional technique, interruption or restart of an operation caused by erroneously pressing a function start key may occur. This problem can be made conspicuous as the size of an input unit decreases with respect to the size of a body part (e.g., a finger).